Invisible String: the inevitable pull
♡︎ the string pulled Bella and Will three thousand miles...some connections refuse to break. some people find their way back to each other no matter the distance, the timing, or the damage left behind. for some strings- they were never meant to snap in the first place. new city, old feelings, and the pull neither of them can ignore.
SERIES MASTERLIST
Chapter 4 ♡︎ (w.c. 2.4k)
The bass at Celestial was a physical force, a deep, thrumming heartbeat that vibrated up through the soles of their shoes and into their bones. The club was a kaleidoscope of strobing lights and tangled bodies, a beautiful, chaotic mess that was the perfect antidote to weeks of structured discipline. For the first time in a long time, Bella felt anonymous, just another face in the crowd.
"This is amazing!" Kenzie yelled over the music, her face illuminated by a flash of pink light. She grabbed Bella's hand, pulling her deeper into the writhing mass of people on the dance floor.
Drinks appeared in their hands, courtesy of a promoter who seemed to sense their "out-of-town but look-like-we-belong" vibe. Bella sipped the sugary, fruity drink , the alcohol a warm, pleasant buzz that melted away the last of her inhibitions. She wasn't thinking about spreadsheets or tiny ballerinas. She wasn't thinking about the past. She was just here, in this moment, under the flashing lights, with her best friend.
After an hour of non-stop dancing, they escaped the heat of the floor, finding a small, relatively quiet spot near the bar to catch their breath. Kenzie immediately pulled out her phone, her face glowing in the dim light.
"Anything?" Bella asked, taking a long sip of her drink.
Kenzie bit her lip, her thumb scrolling. "He liked my photo. The one from the beach. He liked it five minutes ago."
Bella laughed. "Of course he did. You look hot in that photo. It's a low-risk, high-reward like."
"It's a strategic opening," Kenzie corrected, but she was beaming. "He's thinking about me. I can feel it."
As Kenzie descended back into her digital world, Bella leaned against the bar, letting the ambient energy of the club wash over her. That's when she noticed him.
Leaning against a pillar not twenty feet away, was a guy. And he was, objectively, perfect. He had that sun-bleached, surfer-blonde hair that fell artfully over his forehead, and when he turned his head, the lights caught his eyes, turning them a startling, crystal-clear blue. He was tall, with the lean, athletic build of someone who spent a lot of time in the ocean.
He caught her staring. A slow, easy smile spread across his face, and he pushed off the pillar, making his way toward her.
Panic warred with something else, something reckless and triumphant. This was it. The final exam. If she could do this, if she could talk to him, maybe it would prove she was really over it. Maybe this was the final step to closing that chapter for good.
"Hey," he said, his voice low.
"Hi," Bella said, her voice a little breathless.
"I'm Liam," he offered.
"Bella."
"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl," he said, and it was cheesy, but the way his blue eyes crinkled at the corners made it work. "You here with friends?"
"Just my one," Bella said, gesturing vaguely toward Kenzie, who was now in a deep, silent conversation with her phone. "What about you?"
"Just escaping the real world for a bit," he said, his gaze lingering on her lips. "Can I buy you a drink?"
"I've got one," Bella said, raising her nearly empty glass. "But you can get me my next one."
The conversation was easy. He was funny, charming, and he didn't play hockey. He was a grad student, studying marine biology. He talked about tide pools and kelp forests with a passion that was both endearing and completely different from the world she'd left behind. With every word, she focused on him. On Liam. On his blue eyes and his blonde hair. She told herself this was what moving on felt like. This was easy.
But every time he smiled, she saw a different smile. Every time he pushed his hair out of his eyes, she saw a different hand. He was a mirror, and she was staring at the ghost she was trying to escape.
"I'm going to get us those drinks," he said, his hand resting lightly on her arm. "Don't go anywhere."
As soon as he was gone, Kenzie was at her side. "Okay, who is that? And where did you find him? He's a 10/10. A solid replacement, if you don't mind me saying."
"He's not a replacement," Bella said, a little too quickly. "He's just... a guy."
"A guy who looks exactly like..." Kenzie trailed off, her expression softening as she saw the conflict on Bella's face. "Oh, babe. Are you okay?"
"I'm more than okay," Bella insisted, her jaw set. "I'm great. This is me, moving on. This is what it looks like."
Liam returned with two fresh drinks, and Kenzie gave Bella a supportive but worried look before disappearing back into the crowd. They talked for a while longer, the alcohol and the music and the sheer force of his presence creating a bubble around them. He was leaning in close, telling her a story about a sea otter, and his face was so close to hers. All she had to do was lean in.
And she did.
She closed the small distance between them and pressed her lips against his.
It was a good kiss. It was the kind of kiss she was supposed to want. His lips were soft, his hand came up to cup her cheek, and for a fleeting second, she let herself believe. She told herself this was what it felt like to kiss someone new. She told herself this was progress. She told herself this was her future.
She pulled back, forcing a brilliant, triumphant smile onto her face. "Wow," she whispered, trying to sound breathless and happy.
Liam grinned, looking utterly pleased with himself. "Yeah," he agreed. "Wow."
He leaned in to kiss her again, and this time, Bella let him. It was longer, deeper, and she tried to lose herself in it, to focus on the feeling of a new person, a new touch. When they finally broke apart, he was looking at her with hopeful expectation.
"Can I... get your number?" he asked.
This was it. The prize. The proof.
"Absolutely," she said, her voice bright and clear. She took his phone, her fingers flying across the screen. She typed in her number, her heart thumping with what she was determined was victory, not panic.
She handed the phone back to him. "Text me."
"I will," he promised, his smile wide.
Bella found Kenzie a few minutes later, grabbing her hand. "Let's go," she said, a giddy, almost manic energy bubbling up inside her.
They left the club, the pulsing music and flashing lights fading behind them. The cool night air hit Bella's face like a welcome splash of water. She felt... free.
"Well?" Kenzie asked, her voice full of cautious optimism. "How are you feeling?"
Bella turned to her, a grin splitting her face. It was the first time in months that a smile felt genuine, unforced. "I feel amazing," she said, and she almost believed it. "I'm over him, Kenzie. I really think I'm finally over him."
She said it out loud, hoping that if she just said it enough times, it might finally come true.
-
The sound of Gabe's laughter was the best thing Bella had heard in months. It bounced off the high ceilings of the nearly empty dance studio. He was sprawled on the floor, attempting, and failing spectacularly, to mimic a stretch Kenzie was demonstrating.
"I'm telling you," he grunted, his face contorting as he reached for a toe that was clearly not going to be reached today. "This is why I stick to ice. It's a flat, predictable surface. This floor is dangerous."
Kenzie giggled, effortlessly folding herself in half. "It's called flexibility, Gabo. You should try it sometime."
Bella leaned against the mirrored wall, watching them. For the first time since she'd arrived in California, the knot in her chest had loosened. Gabe's presence was a comfort. They had spent the day at the beach, his pale skin turning a concerning shade of pink, and now he was getting the grand tour of their new world. It felt almost normal.
"Alright, show-off," Gabe said, collapsing back onto the floor with a groan. "That's enough torture for one day. What's next? I'm starving."
"There's a place just down the street," Kenzie said, grabbing her tote bag. "They have amazing tacos. And more importantly, air conditioning."
"Lead the way," Gabe declared, pushing himself up. "Belle belle, you coming?"
Bella's gaze drifted to the window, her fingers tracing the cool glass. "You guys go ahead. I'm going to stay and choreograph for a bit. I'll catch up."
Kenzie paused at the door, her expression softening. "You sure?"
Bella nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah. I just... I want to run through the new minis routine a few more times. I'll meet you there. Save me some queso."
"Okay," Kenzie said, though she didn't look convinced. "Don't be too long."
The door clicked shut, and the silence of the studio rushed back in. This was her sanctuary. Here, she didn't have to think about Will or the Sharks or the cruel coincidence of geography. Here, there was only the music, the movement, the burn in her muscles. She put on her headphones and let the music fill her head, losing herself in the familiar steps.
20 minutes later, her body slick with sweat and her mind blissfully blank, she grabbed her bag and headed out. The evening air was warm, the sky painted in strokes of orange and purple. She was just about to lock the door when her phone buzzed. A text from Kenzie.
Kenzie👯: Change of plans. Gabe saw a sports bar a few doors down. The A's game is on. He's dragging me over. Come here instead.
Bella's stomach clenched. The A's game. It was just baseball. It was completely unrelated to him, really. It was fine.
Can't we just get tacos? she typed back, her thumbs hovering over the screen.
Kenzie👯: Don't be a baby. It's just a bar. We're getting wingssssss
With a sigh that felt like it came from the soles of her feet, Bella turned and walked the fifty yards to the sports bar. She pushed open the heavy wood door and was immediately hit by a wall of noise.
She spotted Kenzie and Gabe at a high-top near a large TV. Gabe was already wearing an A's cap he must have bought at the door, a goofy grin on his face. Kenzie gave her an apologetic shrug as she slid onto the stool next to her.
"See? Not so bad," Kenzie shouted over the noise.
"I guess," Bella muttered, her eyes scanning the room as if he might materialize out of the thick, beer-scented air. It was ridiculous. He wouldn't be here. This was just some random bar not a team hangout for a hockey player from Boston.
They ordered wings and fries, and for a while, Bella managed to relax. Gabe was in his element, analyzing plays and heckling the umpire with the enthusiasm of a true sports fan. It was easy to get caught up in his energy, to pretend this was just a normal night out with her friends.
A black SUV with tinted windows pulled up to the curb in front of the bar. A valet rushed to open the passenger side door. A man got out, tall and broad-shouldered, his face shadowed by a baseball cap pulled low. He was laughing at something someone inside the car had said, a deep, familiar sound that made Bella's blood run cold.
He turned slightly, reaching back to grab his jacket, and for a split second, the streetlight caught his profile. The sharp line of his jaw. The curve of his nose.
Her heart stopped. She wanted to run, to scream, to disappear. But she was frozen.
The back door opened, and another figure emerged. Macklin. She recognized him instantly. He was grinning, clapping a hand on Will's shoulder.
"Dude, I told you that we'd make it before the game ended," Macklin was saying, his voice carrying in the quiet street. "You owe me twenty bucks."
"Shut up, Mack," Will laughed, the sound vibrating through Bella's entire body. "You were just lucky. If that catcher hadn't dropped the ball..."
They were walking toward the entrance, he was just feet away. He would see her. He would look up and their eyes would meet, and three thousand miles would evaporate in an instant.
But he didn't. He and Macklin were deep in conversation, arguing about some play from the game. They walked past her, close enough that she could smell the faint scent of Will's cologne, a mix of cedar and something uniquely him. They never looked up.
Bella sat there for a full minute, her body trembling. It wasn't a coincidence. It was real.
Gabe and Kenzie were still watching the game, oblivious.
"Everything okay?" Kenzie asked, her brow furrowed with concern.
Bella stared at the sticky tabletop, at the half-eaten wing Gabe had abandoned, at anything but the door Will and Macklin had just walked through. The air was thick, suffocating. Every cheer from the crowd felt like a physical blow.
"I think I'm going to be sick," she mumbled, pushing her stool back. The scrape of its legs against the floor was jarringly loud.
Kenzie's head snapped around, her eyes wide with concern. "What? Babe, what's wrong?"
"Just... feel really hot all of a sudden," Bella lied, the words tasting like ash. "I think I ate something bad. I need to go home."
Gabe's cheerful expression vanished. "Oh, man. Do you need a ride? We can go."
"No, no, you stay," Bella insisted, already grabbing her bag. "Finish the game. I'll just get an Uber. It's fine. Really." She couldn't get out of there fast enough. She had to be gone. She couldn't breathe in here.
"Are you sure?" Kenzie pressed, standing up.
"I'm sure," Bella said, her voice tight. She gave Kenzie a look, a silent, desperate plea. Don't follow me. Just stay.
Kenzie seemed to understand. She nodded slowly, her brow furrowed with worry. "Okay. Text me when you get back."
"Will do," Bella said, and then she fled, not daring a single glance toward the bar.
So much for being over him.
taglist- @destinyg237 @heeseungthelOml @slutformatt17 @hockeyismylife5 @smittys2 @overmtter
**a/n: hmmm wonder what’s gonna happen nextttt🙈🙈🙊 posting more tomorrow bc I love you guys so big!! thank you for all the love<3
